Weeder.



U. G. COLWELL.

WEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16.1912. I 1,0%6,2'?1 Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

U. G. OOLWELL.

WEBDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16 1912v Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2 Ewuwtov 0. G 6'0 Ill/6 ill U. G. COLWELL.

WEEDER.

APVPLIGATION FILED MAR. 1s, 1912.

1,046,271, Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

3 $KEETSSHEET 3.

ULYSSES G. COLWELL, OF PAHA, WASHINGTON.

WEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.3,1912.-

Applioation filed March 16, 1912. Serial No. 684,258.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ULYssns G. COLWELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Palm, in the county of Adamsand State of W'ashington, have invented a new and useful feeder; and Tdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will on of a portion of themachine.

able other skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to a new and useful weedor.

The invention aims to provide a device of this nature, which not onlyweeds a plowed field, but also pulverizes or breaks the soil, 2nd turnsthe roots of the weeds to the surace.

The invention further-aims to devise a weeder having various improvedfeatures of construction.

One of the features of the construction is the provision of means forgaging the depth of the shovels in the soil.

Another feature of the construction resides in a revoluhle shaftrectangular in cross section, to revolve under the soil, to turn theroots of the weeds to the surface.

The invention comprises further features, and combination of parts, ashereinafter set forth, as shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improvedweeder, showing the same constructed in accordance with the invention,with one of its supporting wheels removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of theweeder. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail view Fig. 5 is a rear view of the lower portions of the shovels,showing them partly in section. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the revolubleshaft rectangular' in cross section, showing the sprocket wheel thereon,and the central shovel in dotted lines. Fig. 7 is a detail view of amodified form of shaft 44.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the supportingwheels, which are fixed to the drive axle 2 to rotate therewith. Mountedon the axle 2 is a frame 3 rectangular in plan view. Journaled inbearings at the rear of the frame 3 is a rock shaft 4, from whichadjacent each end thereof an arm 5 projects forwardly. The arms 5 areforked, as shown at 6. Radiating, one at right angles to the other,

from the central portion of the rock shaft are two arms 7 and 8, each ofwhich is forked. Journaled in. the forward portion of the frame 3 is arod 9. Pivotally mounted on the rod't), one at each end is a bar 10,there being brace bars 11, one for bracing each of the bars 10 relativeto the rod 9. Pivotally mounted on the rod 9 at its central portion is abeam 12. This beam 12 is braced relative to the rod 9 by the 'hrace bars13. The beam 12 terminates rearwardly in two forks, which are fixed attheir rear endsto the central shovel 14. The forks are denoted by thenumeral 15. The bars 10 are fixed at their rear ends to the shovels 16,to the upper forked ends 17 of which slotted links 18 are pivoted. Theselinks are in turn pivoted to the forked arms at the ends of the rockingshaft .4, the pivot pins 19 passing through the slots of the links. Coilsprings 20 surround the links between the end forked arms of the shaft4, and the forked upper ends 17 of the shovels 16, so that when theshaft 4 is rocked, the shovels will be forced yieldably in the soil. Thecentral shovel is hollow, as shown, and is provided with a forked member21, between the arms of which one end of a slotted link 22 is pivoted.The upper end of the link 22 is connected to the forked arm 7 of theshaft 4, by passing a pivot pin through the forks of the arm 7 andthrough the slot of the said link 22. The link 22 has a coil springsurrounding it, which acts between the forked member 21 and the arm 7.This spring 23 assists in yieldably forcing the shovels in the soil.

A pair of plates 24 and 25 arranged on their edges and in parallelrelations are connected to the rear end of the frame, and to a bar 26 atthe forward end of the frame. The drive axle 2 extends through hearingsof the plates 24 and 25. Mounted in bearings of the forward ends of theplates 24 and 25 is a shaft 27, with which a sprocket wheel 28 rotates.Loosely journaled on the drive axle 2 is a sprocket wheel 29, having aclutch hub 30. Keyed to rotate with the axle 2, but to slide thereon isa clutch member 31, which is designed to cooperate with the clutch hub,for throwing the sprocket wheel in and out of gear with the axle 2.Pivoted to the plate 25 is a lever 33, to one end of which as at 34 anarm 35 of the clutch throwing device 36 is pivoted. The clutch throwingdevice embraces in a groove of the ll-shaped frame 40. The U-shapedclutch member. By shifting the lever 33 the clutch member may be thrownin'engagement with the clutch hub. The lever 33 is provided with anofiset portion, to engage any one of the teeth 37 of the plate 25 forholding the lever in adjusted position.

The plates 24 and 25 are formed with guide slots 38. Mounted in theguide slots, so as to slide therein are the ends of the shaft 39, whichis mounted revolubly in the frame 40 is provided with a rearwardlyextending lug 41, which is pivoted to the fork arm 8 of the shaft 4.Fixed to the shaft 39 and between the side arms of the frame 40 is asprocket wheel 43.

Extending through the central shovel transversely thereof is a shaft ortubing 44, which is rectangular in cross section. To prevent dirt fromentering the central shovel through the openings 44 of the shovel,plates 44 are secured to the shaft 44 at 44. The ends of the shaft 44are journaled in sockets 45 of the shovels 16. Fixed to the centralportion of the shaft 44, so as to rotate therewith is a sprocket 46.This sprocket'46 is located in the hollow portion of the shovel 14.Traveling about the sprocket 46, the sprocket 43, the sprocket 29 andthe sprocket 28' is .a sprocket chain 47-. When the sprocket 29 isthrown in gear with the drive axle 2, motion is imparted to the chain47, which will in turn drive the shaft 44. When the shaft 44 is driven,while the same is under the soil, or partially under the soil, the weedswill be dislod god. If the shaft is revolving under the soil, the rootsof the weeds will be turned or uprooted to the surface. It has beenfound by experience that a shaft rectangular in cross section willaccomplish this purpose, without the weeds and the roots hanging to thesame.

A lever 48 projects rigidly from the shaft 4 and at right anglesthereto. This lever 48 is designed for rocking the shaft 4, the samebeing provided with a dog 49, to be thrown in engagement with any one ofthe teeth of the rack 50, for holding the lever 48 in adjustedpositions. This dog 49 operated by the hand grip 51. When the shaft 4 isrocked in one direction or the other by-the lever 48, the shovels areforced yieldably in the soil, and at the same time the frame 40 is movedforwardly, the same being guided by virtue of the shaft 39 and the guideslots 38, which will allow the sprocket chain to give out... When theframe 40 moves rearwardly, the chain will be taken up. In other words,the chain will alwaysv remain in proper cooperation with the sprockets.

. The usual draft pole 53 is secured to the frame of the machine. Theusual form of The invention having been set forth, what 13 clalmed asnew and useful 1s:-

1. In a weeder, a frame, a drive axle seat is arranged rearwardly of theframe 3.

mounted in bearings thereof and having frame will be shifted to takeupor let out the slack of the chain.

2. In a weeder, a plurality of sus ended shovels, lifting and loweringmeans aving yieldable connections with the shovels for forcing themyieldably in the soil, a revoluble elongated device rectangular in crosssection mounted in the shovels, a sprocket and chain mechanism fordriving the device, a slidable frame carrying one of the sprocketsand'having connections with the means, whereby as the shovels are raisedand lowered, the slidable frame will be shifted to take up and let outthe slackin the chain, and means for driving the mechanism.

3. In a weeder, a plurality of suspended shovels, a revoluble elongatedmember journaled in bearings on the shovels, a sprocket and chainmechanism for revolving the revoluble member, and a slidable framehaving connections with the shovels and carrying one of the sprockets,and lifting and lowering means for actuating the shovels and theslidable frame simultaneously.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

, ULYSSES G. COLWELL. Witnesses; I

W. t). MILLER, Jorcnr S. AMMoNs.

